


Baby Build Up

by Dreamsinlilac



Series: Drill Bits & Pieces [5]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV)
Genre: F/F, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-16 01:06:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9266891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamsinlilac/pseuds/Dreamsinlilac
Summary: A look at how people are coping in the build up to the next Drill arrival





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when me and TypicalRAinbow have random Tumblr conversations. I may do another look at things from Constance's perspective if I can work through my other plot bunnies (and if anyone wants to see that)

“Good morning everyone.” Amelia beamed as she looked at the crowd gathered in the staffroom. 

“Good morning Amelia, I mean headmistress, I mean, what are we meant to call you now?” Davina was tripping over her words as always, only stopping when Elizabeth laid a calming hand on her arm. 

“Amelia will do just fine. I’m only stepping in as headmistress for a couple of months while Constance takes leave. In fact, I believe that’s what we are here to discuss.”

Having glanced around the room Fenny laughed, “Well, this doesn’t look like a normal staff meeting, that’s for sure.”

She was right, half the room was filled with Cackle’s staff members, Amelia, Davina, Elizabeth, Gaby, Fenny, Grissy, even Frank Blossom. The other half was made up of friends and family of Constance and Imogen. There was Tom and Stephen along with Jamie and Sarah, and the babies of course. And right at the top of the room were the leaders of the meeting, or rather one leader and her top team members, ready to take advantage of their parents’ weekend away by setting some plans in place.

“That’s very true Fenella. On that note, Abby......”, Amelia nodded towards her granddaughter. “It’s over to you.”

From where she sat on the long table, her sisters on stools at either side of her, Abby cast her blue eyes over everyone in the room. “Right, thanks Granny. We, that is Ava, Zara and I have brought you all together because we have something serious to talk about.”

“Should I write this?”, Ava asked from her stool where she was poised and ready with a large notebook and pink crayon. 

“You can write whatever you want Noodle.”, Abby’s serious face changed into a smile as she looked at her eager younger sister. Then she looked back at the others and continued her speech. 

“As you know the baby is due in a couple of months. Mum only has a few weeks of teaching left and to be honest, I’m not so concerned about her, she knows her limits. No, it’s Mama we need your help with. We all know what she’s like, she worries and wants to do everything and that just stresses her out.”

“So what can we do to help Abs?” Jamie was torn between amusement and pride at what he was seeing from his goddaughter.

“Help Mama.” There was a shrug from Zara, it all seemed pretty simple to her. 

Abby nodded. “Zee’s right. We need to help Mama out. We all rely on her a lot and now it’s time for all of us to make sure we’re there for her so she can be there for Mum.”

Fenny, Grissy and Gaby shared a glance. They knew that at times they over-relied on Constance as a mentor, they ran to her with questions that really they already knew the answers to just to get her opinion. That would have to change. 

“I wanted to go through everything that will need to be done over the next few weeks so everyone is clear and there’s no confusion. Let’s start with the baby’s nursery.” Abby gave Frank Blossom a pointed look. “I know she’ll be in with Mum and Mama at the start but you promised you’d get the walls plastered and the shelves up weeks ago so Mum could decorate. It’s still not done.”

“It will be done this week, I promise.” Frank blushed a little under the steely gaze of the teenager. Sometimes he’d swear she was related to Constance by blood. 

“Good. Granddad has said he’ll give you a hand so just let him know when. Okay, next. The new P.E. teacher, Georgia. I thought of bringing her in here but I didn’t want to overwhelm her. She seems to be settling in but she’ll need support, especially when Mum goes on leave.”

Fenny jumped in on behalf of herself and Grissy. “We’ll do that.”

“Great. Next, the end of year exams. Now Mama says she’s taking until the end of the school year off from being headmistress and from teaching the fourth years. But realistically we all know she’ll still have her hand in, especially with the exams but I’m sure we, well you, can make that process easier for her too.”

Gaby and Amelia looked at each other. 

“We’ll make sure the bulk of the work is done.”, Amelia promised. “And we’ll take care of any Cauldronite business as well.”

“Cool.” Abby looked at her list to see what was next. “Okay, there’s decorating the nursery and our sitting room. Mum thinks she can do it and she probably can but that’s stressing Mama out even more and let’s face it, decorating is not Mama’s thing so unless she uses her magic she won’t be much help. I’ll do what I can, like the mural in the nursery, but decorating wise someone needs to reach the high bits.”

“I’ll help.” Stephen grinned at his niece. As much as he teased his sister and sister in law, he really wanted to be there for them right now.

The next thing to be discussed was general childcare. Tom was of course chief childminder and promised his granddaughter that nothing would change there. However, Zara would be starting nursery three days a week after her birthday so they would need some additional help with school runs, especially after March when the baby came. This was where Davina and Elizabeth offered to help out with dropping Ava and Zara off as well as collecting them as their schedules didn’t quite match.

“Just don’t forget us please.” Ava looked up, a nervous expression on her face.

“It was once.”, Davina muttered. “And I was there just after they rang Imogen.” 

Elizabeth gave her a quick hug for reassurance. “We’ll put a calendar up to remind you.”

Jamie and Sarah were happy to step in when it came to the weekends. “These two love spending time with you girls and it will give your mothers space if and when they need it.” To illustrate what his mother was saying Fionn gave a loud giggle and waved across to the Drill girls. 

“David will help out too.” Jamie noticed Abby’s face light up at the thought that her father would be involved this time around.

There were other things that would probably crop up over the coming months but overall Abby was pleased that they seemed to have a plan. She hated the thought of her Mama being stressed and wanted to take any trivial worries away from her. Imogen and the baby were the number one priorities and this big sister was determined to make sure that the time before and after the birth was completely hassle free. 

“So what’s your role in all this?”, Jamie asked his goddaughter after the meeting was adjourned and everyone was settled down with teas, coffees, biscuits and cake. 

“I’m just trying to help out around the house, help the crazies put their stuff away, do the dishes and all that. I’m helping Mum stock the freezer with meals now so they won’t have to cook too much later. 

“Ava and Zara have lots of questions that I’m trying to answer too. You know, what it will be like when she arrives? I suppose I’m just reassuring them really. I’m also trying to get them to come into my bed first at the weekends before waking Mama and Mum up so they can sleep or have some time together. I still really want to be in the room when the baby is born but not if it stresses them out even more by having me there. I just can’t wait to meet her and start looking after her.”

Jamie wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “You are one pretty amazing big sister. And daughter. As for being in the room, I can tell you from experience it’s an amazing but stressful experience. I know you think you’re old enough and maybe you are, but even for me it was a lot to handle, and I wasn’t even doing the hard work. Anyway, that’s up to your mothers and if they’d rather you weren’t in there, you’ll still be looking after Ava and Zee which will be a big help.”

“I know.”, Abby smiled. “And I will understand if I can’t be in there. Davina suggested I could maybe help give her her first bath and Mum said I definitely could so that’s cool.”

“That’s a great idea. Abs, I don’t want you to feel you’re on your own with all of this. Your Mama and Mum are my best friends, I want to help them just like they helped us when the boys came along. So anything you feel they need, you let me know. And the same for you, if you have questions or you’re worried you call me okay? Same goes for everyone else, they’re all there for you.” 

Abby hugged him even more tightly. “Okay.” 

They were interrupted by Ava, who appeared to have some sort of hug radar. “Are you okay Abby?”

“I’m great, just happy that we got everything sorted out.”

“Me too.” Ava hopped onto the empty chair next to her sister and held out her notebook. “Here’s my notes.” 

It was really just a series of random letters and pink squiggles but Abby wasn’t going to say anything negative, in fact she was already planning on keeping it for her Mama’s end of year memory book. “Thanks Noodle, that’s great. Hey, where’s Zee?”

Jamie pointed to the other side of the room where Zara was on the play mat with Cillian and Fionn. 

“You okay Zee?”, Abby called. 

Zara looked up with a big grin on her face. “Yeah, I’m playing big sister.” 

“See?”, Tom passed a slice of cake over to his eldest grandchild. Like Jamie he was incredibly proud of this young girl who was growing up so quickly in front of their very eyes. He was also going to be keeping a close eye on all his girls to make sure that nobody was getting too stressed during what was going to be such a special time. “Everyone knows exactly what they need to be doing before the baby arrives. Things will be okay, you’ll see.”

And for the first time in weeks, Abby realised that as long as they had their friends and family around them, they really would be. Now she could really concentrate on enjoying these final few weeks before they went from a family of five to one of six, something she really wanted to savour.

“They’ll be better than okay. Bring on the madness.”


End file.
